Sunday 18 January 2009

On Friday I had one of those days were I was tired from a week of teaching, coaching and training, so I knew when I was walking over to the platform I was going to simply lift and keep my mouth shut unlike usual. I had also determined that I would avoid analysing my technique at all and I would simply lift as fast as I could. Here is the session I did:

Jerk Technique with the bar--I work on my jerk at the start and end of each session because it needs all the help it can get.Overhead Squats--4x3Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 40, 50Snatch--1x2@60, 70 1x1@75, 80, 85, 89, 92, 94x6--This is the first time I have gotten all six attempts in a row with a weight over 90. I avoided the paralysis by analysis trap that it is all to easy to fall into.Clean and Jerk--1x3@40, 60 1x1@80, 90, 100, 110, 116x3--Again, I got all my lifts and they were relatively fast. Because I was tired they were not as technically perfect as I would have liked, but c'est la vie. I did not miss a single lift all night and I was very happy with this.Ab vacuums--4x30 on/offRaised Knee to Chest--3x20

On Saturday, I had an early session and I was fatigued from my week and it was one of those sessions that you really have to push yourself to get through it. Nothing was fast or sharp, but it had to be done regardless.Jerk Skill work with barPower Clean and Jerk--1x3@40, 50Overhead Squats--4x3Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 1x1@60--Even these were slow.Hang Power Snatch--1x3@60, 65, 70, 75x3--These got better as they went on.Jerk From Rack--1x3@60, 60 1x2@70 1x1@80, 90, 100, 105--This was rough despite how light it was, so I went back to 100 for 3 more singles. Not today I am afraid.Back Squats--1x3@60, 60,80, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140x3Ab vacuums--4x30 on/offKnees to chest--3x20

So, the main question that Friday's session raised was this: is it better to avoid all thought when lifting--a book worth reading is Zen in the Art of Archery-- or is it better to think of whatever facet of technique you are working on? Or, is it more worthwhile to analyse technique in the earlier, lighter lifts and then abandon thought once the weight starts to mount? The approach of not thinking about technique worked for me on Friday, but it this the way forward?

3
comments:

Is your weight in kgs or lbs? If it is in kg we are roughly the same strength, and the honest-to-goodness best way to get your strength up at this level, I think, is high volume in some aspect of your training.

When one has reached a decent level of technique, I don't think one should get too bogged down with over-analysis of technique, especially when training 80%+. Definately if something feels a little off, try to correct it on the next rep but don't let it dominate your session, or your mind. I try to visualise my technique outside of the gym, when I am at home a few hours before my session in a meditation-type way (while lying down with eyes closed, or even sometimes sitting in a yoga-type pose with legs crossed which apparently Kolecki of Poland does in the sauna!) Anyway I find this helps a lot, almost subconsciously, when I do my session as I don't even have to think of technique as that has already been addressed. Things become more automatic the more I do this and I try to do this most days, especially on heavy training days.

Conwict: my weights stated are in kilos and I agree with your statement that volume will help develop strength--this is what my coach has me doing. I will post further on this tonight.

Cathal, this is an interesting idea and one that I shall pursue. When I getted bogged down in technical details, my lifting gets slower and more stilted with little fluidity. I got your email so I shall thank you in London 2012!